


Never There

by scullyseviltwin



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-09-03
Updated: 2004-09-03
Packaged: 2019-05-30 22:05:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15105785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scullyseviltwin/pseuds/scullyseviltwin
Summary: He sees but can never really touch, he can want but never have.





	Never There

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Never There**

**by: ScullyAsTrinity**

**Character(s):** Josh,Donna  
**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
**Category(s):** Angst, Romance  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Summary:** He sees but can never really touch, he can want but never have. 

She smells like wine when he brushes against her, the slight movement stirring her hair, causing it to fall into her eyes. 

He pauses, and notes the change. Like he usually does, he quirks a tiny smile that she misses, so he does it again. Her teeth shimmer in the dim light when she finds the smile upon his face. Turning fully towards him, she makes the few steps over to where he is standing and places a hand easily upon his arm. 

His head drops as the slight blush creeps up on his cheeks. This had happened many times before, this type of contact. This type of reaction has been gauged before as well, but this time, the spark in the air causes her to lean into him a bit, still smiling. 

Surprised, he's surprised, and why should he not be? They've never allowed themselves to come quite this close in public. There are cameras all around, catching important people dancing with other important people, in outfits by other more important people. 

The cameras ignore them, there in the corner. 

It's not like anything, it's not a simile. Not a metaphor for something bigger. It's the two of them, there in the shadows, being ignored by people who would care to be involved with what was happening, but they weren't. And the two of them, invisible, are glad. 

Her head, it feels heavy, drops down on his shoulder, and her mouth emits a tiny sigh. The blush is gone from his cheeks, replaced by a pallor that is much more frightened. He's scared of what this entire situation might mean but cannot stop his hand from coming up and tracing circles against her back. 

"Tired?" He asks, his voice low and throaty, his eyes on the hue of her cheeks. His breath falling hot over her shoulder. 

"Mmm." Comes her murmur, her hand coming up to wrap tightly around his neck. 

Perhaps a little more wine would make her bolder, would make her reach up, grab the nape of his neck and bring his lips down upon hers, but that notion is lost when the band picks up once again and he sways just a bit in time to the music. 

She feels like dead weight in his arms, and for only the third time since she had entered his life, he feels the need to support her. 

Somewhere, inside of him, he wills himself to think of anything else but the woman in his arms. For a moment he pretends that she isn't exquisite and amazing. An instant passes in which he convinces himself that this doesn't mean anything... but it all passes. His breath continues to cascade over her shoulder, eliciting goose bumps on her flesh. 

He doesn't want to call this love, but does anyway because he's so entangled in the infatuation that it truly does not matter anymore. 

She feels him press a kiss upon her shoulder and takes it as her cue to lift her head. She looks him in the eye, and smiles. "I need to get out of here, I've been on my feet all day." 

Like he's supposed to, he sends her a smile and squeezes her hand. 

Then she is gone, like she always is. She's never really there.


End file.
